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(Adam 1976; Fraser and Burrill 1979; Heinrichs et al. 1979; Litsinger et al. 1980;
Prasadja and Ruhendi 1980; Lim et al. 1983; Jusoh Mamat et al. 1985). Major
agricultural countries in South Asia produce lever-operated knapsack sprayers
locally. However, the quality of these sprayers, in terms of efficiency and
safety, ranges from very poor to moderate. In Malaysia, for example, the
lever-operated knapsack sprayers (96% locally manufactured) used by rice
farmers were not well designed and did not satisfy the minimum product
standards set by the World Health Organization (Anas et al. 1987).
Unsafe features of locally produced sprayers
In using a lever-operated knapsack sprayer, the operator is exposed to two
kinds of hazard: direct physical harm such as wounds and bruises caused by
the equipment and contamination by the pesticides being applied. Hazardous
features of knapsack sprayers have been discussed in detail (Fisher and
Deutsch 1985; Anas et al. 1987; Thornhill 1987).
Sharp edges on the tank body - Sharp edges are found at the bottom of the
tank body, the body skirting, and the threaded knob where the pump lever is
attached. These sharp edges can rub against and injure the operator's back or
buttock area (if contaminated by pesticides, wounds can be even more serious).
Sharp protrusions also cause injuries if the operator falls.
Narrow straps made of unsuitable material - Knapsack sprayer straps are
often too narrow (less than 5 cm) and made of hard, coarse materials. When a
full load of 15-20 L of pesticide is carried, a hard narrow strap will dig into the
shoulder muscles causing skin bruises. Because of the constant movement of
the tank on the operator's back, bruises can appear after only two or three
rounds of spraying with a full load. Straps may snap under a heavy load and
cause the tank to fall, wounding the operator. If the straps give way early in
the work period, farmers may replace them with even less appropriate materials,
such as plastic rope, which is very uncomfortable, or soft cloth rope,
which can absorb spilled or splashed pesticide and become a persistent source
of contamination.
Tank weight and balance - Most locally produced sprayers are made of brass
and are heavy even when empty (over 6.5 kg). Carrying such a heavy sprayer
often taxes the energy of slightly built Asian workers. This is especially true
for women workers in the rubber and oil-palm plantations of Indonesia,
Malaysia, and Thailand. The tank's centre of gravity, often located in the upper
half, will cause the operator to be unbalanced and fall easily when walking on
difficult terrain, such as wet and muddy paddy fields.
Small tank port and shallow basket strainer - A tank port smaller than 12cm
and basket strainers less than 5 cm deep can create an air lock. As a result,
diluted pesticide can overflow and splash onto the operator's hands or legs
as it is poured into the tank, particularly if this is done in haste.
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